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Welcome to Smeaton Homes

Smeaton Homes is a fresh thinking local independent estate agent, who offer a service you would expect with expert advice and very competitive fees, From selling your property to the full letting and management of a property, Smeaton Homes can provide a service to suit your requirements. Letting a property need not be a complicated process, Smeaton Homes will provide you with solid professional advice based on many years of residential experience.

TENANT INSURANCES

No matter how careful you are, life happens. Things get damaged, homes get broken into and areas get flooded. None of it is your fault, but that doesn't mean you won't have to pay to fix things. Before moving into the property you must ensure that you have sufficient means to cover your liability for accidental damage to the landlord's property, furniture, fixtures, and fittings. You may also wish to consider cover for your own possessions as these will not be protected by any policy held by the Landlord. For further information please click on the link below.

LANDLORD INSURANCES

The majority of landlords in the UK are exposed to unnecessary risk because they don't have adequate insurance. Unlike some insurance policies, HomeLet's insurance doesn't just cover the building - they can offer insurance against your tenant defaulting on their rent; or insurance which covers you for 90 days when your property is empty; and your contents - with solutions tailored for whether your property is fully furnished or not.
Comprehensive buildings insurance with accidental damage and nil excess options.
Comprehensive full contents insurance with accidental damage and nil excess options.
Limited contents for part or unfurnished properties.
Low-cost buildings insurance.
Emergency assistance cover, a 24 hour emergency call-out service.
Rent & Legal Guarantee

Sometimes even the tenants with the best references fail to pay the rent through circumstances beyond their control, such as job loss or relationship breakdown. Rent Guarantee is designed to help protect you, providing you peace of mind if your tenant fails to pay their rent. Further details are available on request

SELLING

We understand just how important your property is to you and we recognise the wide choice that our clients have and the options available to sell their home.

That is why we use the best sales practice at every stage during your sale and our award wining sales service is driven from the top.

We have put together an easy step by step guide that will give you an insight into what to expect when selling your property.

Valuation

The whole process starts with a free written valuation of your property. This is a full appraisal where we can ascertain the correct market value and an achievable sales figure. This is always based on the individual property, local knowledge, current sale trends and prices in the area of the property. At this stage we will discuss costs for selling and your timescale. We can also answer any questions you may have prior to marketing. Once instructed every member of our sales team will visit your property to familiarise themselves with what they are selling.

Marketing

Our unique placement of our offices allows us to reach the widest audience possible. With online advertising changing the way we search for information our attention is drawn to the internet and property portals which allow for virtual tours, floor plans, local mapping and an array of colour images for our customers to peruse at work, home or on the move. We use over 20 different major portals and property search engines to give our clients the most coverage for their property. Our software is regarded as the market leader in the property industry and allows us to provide the most effective property matching service available we send out daily updates of new and existing property to registered motivated buyers, deliver weekly client activity reports and maximise your properties selling potential. Our marketing team will also contact you to arrange our advertising board and marketing photos.

Viewings

Our marketing and placement of your property will encourage viewings and it will not be long until we will arrange viewings with prospective buyers. If convenient a member of our team will accompany any viewers and report all feedback and comments the next day. All viewings are recorded and delivered as part of our weekly marketing report.

Offers

Once an offer is made our experienced sales team will fully qualify the prospective purchaser. Should this offer be related to another sale, we will check the chain in depth and well as their financial/mortgage arrangements. Solicitors can then be instructed. It is important to choose the correct solicitor, something which we can advise on and a solicitor with extensive local knowledge is imperative.

Sales Progression

Sometimes agreeing the price is the easy part. Smeaton Homes are dedicated to obtaining you the best price for your property, We will ensure that we will be in control of your sale all the way through from start to completion. With complicated sales chains and the instant access to updates so we have a online system so you can see the process the whole way through, we feel that this is crucial to seeing your sale through to exchange and completion.

Exchange & Completion

The last stage in selling your property is the most important part of the sale, when your solicitor will arrange the exchange the contracts. Once this has taken place completion is normally 14-28 days thereafter. All keys and sale proceeds are received on the day of completion.

MARKETING A PROPERTY

IF YOU'RE A LANDLORD LOOKING TO LET THERE 1ST PROPERTY, INVESTMENT LANDLORD OR A CORPORATE PROPERTY COMPANY, WE STRIVE TO ENSURE THAT THE WHOLE PROCESS IS AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE.

MARKET APPRAISAL

We will arrange an appointment to visit you and your property and discuss the current market value. A rental figure will be based on the furnishings (if any) available for Tenants and on the overall decorative condition, size and location.

Prior to marketing, an Energy Performance Certificate will need to be commissioned by a qualified Domestic Energy Assessor which will be made available to prospective tenants. We can arrange for an Energy Assessor to carry out the assessment with whom we have arranged a special rate. For an extra £15.00 we can also provide a floor plan, The property will be advertised in the local press, on our own website, also on the leading property portal Rightmove and up to 20 other property websites. Potential tenants will be shown around the property by us and Landlords will be kept informed on how the marketing of the property is progressing.

All property appraisals are undertaken by Ourselves with a full written details given Advice will be given on:

·Landlords are required to notify mortgage and insurance companies that the property is to be let.
·Landlords are responsible for building insurance cover.
·Properties must comply with current legislation regarding gas, electric and furnishings.
·Landlords are responsible for a EPC (energy performance certificate) on there property.
FORMAL INSTRUCTION

When we receive instructions to market your property, we will confirm our fees in writing and ask you to sign and date the relevant forms. The property details will be e mailed to our current applicant list, updated in our window, with a internal property list for any applicants that come into the office.
VIEWING

Any suitable applicants will either be accompanied to view the property, if keys are held at our office, or we will contact you to arrange a mutually agreeable appointment. We would advise that we do hold keys on all vacant properties, to ensure that an accompanied viewing can take place at anytime.
MARKETING

We advertise in all related areas and on a range of platforms to gain the best possible coverage for your property.

Once a let is agreed in principle, tenants are required to complete an application form and details are sent to a referencing agency HOMELET that check employment, previous Landlord(s), character reference and credit search. If all is well, an Assured Shorthold Tenancy agreement will then be drawn up. Prior to the start of the tenancy, an inventory will be taken and the tenants are checked into the property by us.
ADVANCE PAYMENTS & DEPOSIT

One month's rent is paid in advance and a further months rent + £100 will be held as a deposit. The deposit is held by DPS (The Deposit Protection Scheme) http://www.depositprotection.com If you are registered with another provider (TDS or TDSL) please provide us with your registration details. At the end of the tenancy, the landlord and tenant agree how the deposit should be repaid, who will pay out the money as agreed.

The Tenants will complete a Standing Order mandate when they sign the tenancy agreement. If the property is unmanaged both parties will note meter readings. Once all the above items are completed the Tenant is provided with set of keys to the property.